The Pirate with Glass Slippers
by LadySybil-AlaisBranson
Summary: Eleanora Tremaine, now a young woman, has had enough of her stepmother's cruelty, and decides to escape and leave behind her horrid past. But her plan is thwarted by a legendary dark figure who opens her eyes to a a whole new world; full of adventure, crime, magic, and even love.
1. Chapter 1 Prologue

On a cold winter's night in a magnificent chateau atop a hill, a baby girl was born. Her parents were Lord and Lady Tremaine, of low rank but well loved amongst their family and friends. Unfortunately, while the couple was overjoyed over the arrival of their beautiful golden haired daughter, such joy was not to last, for Lady Marie Tremaine was quickly slipping away. Her husband held her and their daughter in his arms, sobbing uncontrollably as she breathed her last breath.

Consumed by grief and anguish, Lord Tremaine was briefly tempted to take the poor infant into the forest neighboring his estate, leaving her to the wolves. However, he quickly changed his mind, hating himself for even thinking such a horrible thing. That was not what his wife would have wanted; he knew that she would ask him to love and cherish their child no matter what, making sure she wanted for nothing. So, putting aside his grief, that is exactly what he did for the first ten years of the girl's life, whom he named Eleanora.

On her tenth birthday, however, Lord Tremaine decided to give her a gift that would change her life forever. He brought home his new wife, Lady Clarisse, and her two daughters Anastasia and Drisella, who were just Eleanora's age. For nearly a year, they were very happy, and the three girls became inseparable. Tragically, Eleanora's father suddenly took ill and died, leaving his grief-stricken family utterly destitute. Angry at the fate that her husband had left them to, and jealous of Eleanora's beauty, grace, and innocence, Lady Clarisse took it all out on the poor girl.

She dismissed the staff and sold whatever belongings she could, most of which was Eleanora's. Finally, she forced her stepdaughter to move into the attic and become a servant. Unfortunately, that meant that she and her beloved sisters could no longer interact, at least, not in the way they had before. Lady Clarisse made certain that her daughters treated Eleanora with nothing but contempt, ordering her around as though she was nothing but an object to submit to their every need.

Eleanora was devastated, and did not understand why she suddenly was cast aside when her entire stepfamily had shown her nothing but love and kindness when her father was alive. Still, she submitted to her fate and did what she was asked. For the next five years, Eleanora worked tirelessly day and night, eager to please her family in the hopes that they might just love her the way they had so long ago. Indeed, Anastasia and Drisella still regarded her as their beloved sister, and always showed Eleanora that they meant it, but never in the presence of their horrid mother. No, whenever they were within earshot of Lady Clarisse, the girls were as cruel to Eleanora as she was.

Despite all of that, Eleanora remained kind, obedient, and utterly determined to one day escape the clutches of her stepmother. Unbeknownst to her, that day would come very soon.


	2. Chapter 2: Fateful Meeting

It was the day of the prince's ball, and Eleanora's stepfamily were running about preparing for it while she continued on with her duties. Her stepmother had promised her that she could come along with them, but of course that came with conditions. The horrid woman had her run ragged, completing several tasks on top of her regular jobs. As such, she had no time to come up with anything suitable to wear to the ball.

Luckily, Anastasia and Drisella had an idea of their own, and of course they kept it from their mother. Eleanora was to wear one of Anastasia's new gowns; a beautiful golden frock that she had purchased without Lady Clarisse's knowledge or consent. Drisella would lend her a string of pearls and some hair adornments. They knew that their stepsister would easily be the most beautiful girl at the ball.

Just before the hired carriage pulled up to take the women to the palace, Anastasia and Drisella finally caught Eleanora alone and informed her of the plan. Feeling utterly grateful towards her dear stepsisters, she took the dress and ran upstairs to quickly clean up and change. As she did so, Lady Clarisse urged her daughters out the door, completely forgetting about Eleanora and her promise. As she and Drisella climbed into the carriage, Anastasia hung back and quietly approached the driver. Handing him a generous amount of money, she whispered, " Would you please do me a favor? Take us to the palace, and then come straight back here to pick up another guest. Oh, and please do not mention this to anyone." The man smiled. " Mademoiselle is most generous. I shall happily do as you say. Now, if you will please enter the carriage, we shall be on our way." Anastasia nodded and climbed in, giving an excuse to her mother for the delay.

Eleanora watched from an upstairs window as her family disappeared down the road. This was what she had been waiting for: a chance to escape from her life, if only for one magical night. But even that was not to be, for as the Tremaines' carriage finally stopped at the front steps of the palace, Lady Clarisse enacted her own secret plan. She had suspected from the beginning that Eleanora and her daughters were up to something, and those suspicions were confirmed when she discreetly peeked out of the carriage to notice Anastasia's exchange with the driver.

The woman had sat through the entire carriage ride seething. Under no circumstances would she have a lowly servant from her own household attend the ball. It would bring shame upon her and her daughters, especially if Eleanora revealed to someone that she was associated with them. Oh, how she despised the girl.

So, as Anastasia and Drisella made their way up the massive steps, Lady Clarisse turned to the driver. " I know of your deal with my daughter." The man's eyes widened. " I do not know what you are talking about, Madame." " Oh, yes, you do." She snarled. " Now, here is what you will do; go back to the chateau as she requested. However, when the wretched girl comes out, you must see to it that she cannot attend the ball." Confused and frightened, the poor man squeaks, " What do you mean? How? Why?" Exasperated, Lady Clarisse cries, " Oh, I don't know! Rip her dress, shove her into the mud, throw her in the carriage and drive it into the forest or something! Just go!" The man quickly did as he was told, and the cruel woman entered the palace with a satisfied smirk.

Meanwhile back at the chateau, Eleanora waited in excitement for the carriage to arrive. When it did, she waved goodbye to her animal friends who had gathered on the banister of the grand staircase to see her off. They cheered as Eleanora closed and locked the door behind her and approached the carriage. But to her surprise, the driver began to scream at her, telling her to go back inside and forget about going anywhere near the palace. He then proceeded to rip the hem of her gown and kick her down into a puddle of mud. As Eleanora lay in the mud paralyzed with fear and shock, the man drove away into the night. The poor girl began to sob uncontrollably. Why did this happen? Why would a perfect stranger abuse her so? As she thought about it, there seemed to be only one possibility; Anastasia or Drisella had been tricking her all this time and had never really loved her. Perhaps they paid off the driver and forced him to do this. It could not have been her stepmother, because her sisters had taken every precaution to make sure she never found out. Unless… unless they weren't all as meticulous as they had thought and Lady Clarisse did suspect something. Yes, that must be it.

Suddenly, a flash of light interrupted Eleanora's thoughts, and a mysterious elderly woman appeared next to her. " Hello, my dear. Oh heavens! Let me help you up." She gently pulled Eleanora to her feet, all the while ignoring the girl's awestruck look. " Who are you?" She exclaimed. The woman smiled. " I am of course your fairy godmother, and I came to help you get to the ball." " The ball?" Eleanora repeated stupidly. " Yes, dear. Now come, let us not waste time. My magic will not last forever." Before Eleanora could say anything further, the elderly woman got to work, providing her with a magnificent carriage; complete with a driver, footman, and a team of four beautiful horses.

Eleanora watched the whole process with the same awestruck look. She had always thought that such magic was impossible and the stuff of legends, and yet here was a fairy godmother proving her wrong. Once finished, the fairy godmother turned to her charge. " Now, my child, please turn around so that I may get a good look at you." The young woman did as instructed, and the fairy godmother nodded. " Yes, very good. I have just the gown for you."

With another wave of her wand, Eleanora was enveloped in a brilliant light. When it faded, her muddy and torn gift was gone, and in its place she was wearing a breathtaking silver gown that shimmered in the moonlight; fit only for a queen. Her golden locks were now piled atop her head in an intricate braided design, with diamond stars neatly woven here and there.

But what truly caught Eleanora's attention were the delicate crystal slippers fitted perfectly to her dainty feet. Surprisingly enough, they were not the least bit cold or uncomfortable, and she could easily move about in them. As she was admiring herself in the reflection of a nearby pond, the fairy godmother began to speak. " You must hurry, dear. This magic will only last until the stroke of midnight. Go, and have a happy time at the ball." Eleanora embraced the woman and thanked her for everything before climbing into the carriage and riding off into the night.

As the carriage sped through the darkened streets of Eleanora's quaint hometown, the unexpected sound of a gunshot echoed nearby, and the horses began to panic, causing the carriage to topple over. The driver and footman pulled Eleanora to safety, and once they made sure she was alright, proceeded to calm down the horses. As Eleanora waited, she swore she heard voices coming closer and closer.

All of a sudden, a group of large, scruffy- looking men emerged from the shadows of the houses around her. They surrounded the carriage, taking Eleanora and her companions hostage. " Hello, girlie!" Eleanora's captor cackled in her ear, breathing his foul breath on her. Eleanora struggled against him. " Do not call me 'girlie'. I do not know who you are or why you are doing this, but I demand that you let us go. Please." " Oh aye! Making demands are we?" The man replied snarkily. " Take it up with the captain then."

Eleanora was not to be intimidated. " Very well. Let me speak to your captain." The horrid man released her just as a new figure emerged. Eleanora froze at the sight before her. Unlike the others, this man was well groomed and dressed in a magnificent hat and overcoat. He had thick, curly, dark brown hair that rested just below his shoulders, and a styled mustache. But his eyes… they were of a dark blue color and seemed to pierce straight through her soul.

As her eyes continued to appraise him, Eleanora noticed something terrifying; in the place of his right hand was a sharp iron hook fastened securely to his arm. Following her gaze, the man grinned evilly. " Ah, you find my hook fascinating, do you? Perhaps you'd like a closer look, hmm?" He glided forward until he was face to face with Eleanora and raised his hook to her cheek. Eleanora flinched, terrified of what he was going to do.

To her relief, the man lowered his arm. " There is no need to fear me, my dear. I merely ask that you hand over a certain item, and my men and I will be on our way." Eleanora raised herself up to meet him at eye level. " If you wish to take from me, at least allow me the courtesy of knowing your name." The man chuckled. " Of course. My apologies, mademoiselle." He politely took off his hat and bowed low to her. " Allow me to introduce myself: I am James Hook, captain of the pirate ship The Jolly Roger."


	3. Chapter 3:The Deal

Eleanora stood before the dashing pirate captain, contemplating what he had just told her. He and his men had heard of the grand ball taking place at the palace nearby, and had decided to rob the unsuspecting guests. After all, royalty and nobility from near and far would be there, decked out in their finest. However, when they arrived at the docks and made their way through the town in the direction of the palace, Captain Hook had caught wind of the commotion at Eleanora's house, and his curiosity won out.

Thus, the pirates bore witness to the wonders of a fairy godmother's magic. Compared to that, even a trunk load of jewels and coins seemed like nothing. It was not worth possibly getting arrested over, and so Hook had decided to catch Eleanora alone and steal her glass slippers. To some, it might seem strange for one of the most fearsome pirates in the world and beyond to steal a woman's shoes, even if they were made of magic. However, Hook was greedy, and could not care less about that.

So, there he waited while Eleanora made a decision. " Come now, my dear. My patience is wearing thin. Either quietly hand over your precious slippers, and your jewels, or I shall take them by force. What say you?" Eleanora stared him down. " I propose we make a deal; I shall give it all to you to do with as you please, if you allow me to sail away with you." Hook's eyebrows rose to his hairline in surprise. " You wish to come with us? A pirate ship is no place for a woman! A pirate's life is filled with thievery and bloodshed, both of which make women tremble in fear." Eleanora smirked. " Well, you should have gathered by now that I am not like other women."

Captain Hook threw his head back in laughter. " Indeed. How true you are, lass. Very well, we have an accord." The pirate and young woman shook hands, sealing their deal. Eleanora proceeded to undo her hair, gathering all of the diamond stars that had adorned it. Handing them to one pirate and her slippers to another, the group began to make their way back to the ship. Eleanora, however, hesitated. Noticing this, Captain Hook stopped. " Aren't you coming, lass?" She nodded, but said, " In a moment. I just need a quick word with the carriage driver here." Hook smiled and nodded, continuing on with his crew.

Eleanora approached the driver, who had been watching the whole exchange in shock and fear. " I am sorry about all of that." Eleanora apologized. He simply waved it off, glad that the pirates were gone. " I need you to do something for me." Eleanora continued. " Go to the palace and find my stepfamily's carriage driver. Tell him to deliver a message to them when the ball is over. Say that I left and most likely will not be coming back, but do not reveal whom I left with. Have him tell my stepsisters that I love them and that I am sorry, but I have to do this. I am old enough to fend for myself and so no longer have to endure my stepmother's treatment." The driver nodded, having committed the message to memory. " Oh!" Eleanora exclaimed. " Please hurry. It is getting close to midnight, and you will no longer be human afterwards. Go!" She watched sadly as the carriage sped off towards the palace, knowing that those will be the last words she will likely ever give to her sisters.

With one last sigh, Eleanora rushed to board the ship, excited at the prospect of a new life filled with dangerous exploits and the exploration of vast seas and foreign lands.


	4. Chapter 4

It had been four long years since Eleanora left her past behind her and joined the crew of the Jolly Roger. In that time, she had fully embraced the dangerous life of piracy, becoming far more fearsome than Captain Hook himself. In fact, the tales of 'Bloody Bonny Ella' were known in every corner of the world. No honest person dared sail the seven seas anymore, for fear of encountering such a strong, cold-hearted woman.

Naturally, that proved to be disastrous for everyone, including Eleanora and her crew. With no unsuspecting victims to prey on, they had to resort to attacking other pirates. Rivals, of course, but people they had known and respected for years. Feeling angry and betrayed, the pirates engaged in a war against each other; in the end leaving few survivors. Meanwhile, the people on land were suffering greatly due to the rapid decline in trade and travel. Sailors, fishermen, and traders were now out of a job, and as such money, food, and supplies were scarce.

Fortunately, one particular person was determined to put a stop to it all. This was none other than Prince Henri Francois Sebastian Stefan de Orleans, the very man whom Eleanora would have met all those years ago had fate been kinder. He had assembled an armada and set out to destroy the pirates once and for all and bring peace and prosperity back into the world. So far, the armada had succeeded in eradicating any pirates who had managed to survive the civil war, but not without suffering heavy losses of their own. So that left the Jolly Roger alone to deal with at last.

The infamous pirate ship and Prince Henri's vessel The Princess Aurora had caught up with each other, preparing to broadside. At Captain Hook's signal, Eleanora and her crewmates drew their weapons, collectively letting out a fearsome battle cry as they boarded the enemy ship. As the pirates and Frenchmen fought, Prince Henri stopped for a moment, his eyes searching the ship until he singled out Eleanora. Crying out in rage, he charged towards her, his sword arm outstretched and aimed for the killing blow. Spinning around, Eleanora skillfully blocked his attack, taking the prince by surprise.

"Ah! Well if it isn't the legendary prince of France who can make a woman fall into his arms as easily and quickly as he can make my fellow comrades fall upon his sword." Eleanora said snarkily, a smirk on her face. " You are indeed as handsome as people say, so it's a pity I have to kill you." She leaned in close so that her face was less than an inch away from his. " Oh… what a waste. Perhaps I could have some fun with you before you walk the plank." Henri pushed her away in disgust. " You wicked, insolent creature! Your vile attempts to seduce me or break me will not work. Even if you take me hostage and do with me what you will, I will not give in." Eleanora cackled. "We shall see, dearie, we shall see." Without warning, the pirate princess had her opponent lying flat on the deck with his hands tied behind his back in a matter of seconds.

As that exchange took place, the crew of the Jolly Roger had finished off every last one of Henri's men. Captain Hook had now climbed aboard and was facing Eleanora and the prince. Grinning triumphantly, he addressed his first mate. " Excellent work, my lass. You never let me down." Eleanora lifted her chin in proud acknowledgment. " Now," Hook continued, staring down at Henri " What do you propose we do with our dear captive?" " Give him quarter, Captain." Eleanora replied. Hook's eyebrows rose skyward. " Quarter? Need I remind you of the pirate code? Any one of the enemy left alive must walk the plank." Fixing the captain with a defiant, unwavering stare, Eleanora explained, " Need I remind you that we are the only pirates left on this earth, and that we hold no ordinary prisoner. We ought to be thinking of our survival over any cursed pirate code. If we kill him, that will only guarantee others from his land setting out to destroy us once and for all, so the only option is to let him go. If we show him mercy, perhaps he will return to his land and leave us be." Hook scoffed. " Foolish lass! He came after us with the intent of annihilation, so what is to stop him from gathering more men and weapons and pursuing us again?" Eleanora smiled slyly. " I think you underestimate my powers of…. persuasion, Captain." Throwing his head back in laughter, Hook admitted defeat.

So it was that Prince Henri soon found himself locked in the brig in the depths of the pirate ship, headed on a course for France.


End file.
